


Entertainer

by ellaroundpanda



Series: Entertainer [1]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Modern AU, Mutual Pining, Sexual Tension, Stripping, entertainer, i don’t know what to tag more, inspired by a zayn videoclip
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:00:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22566676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellaroundpanda/pseuds/ellaroundpanda
Summary: Feyre Archeron works as a dancer in one of the most famous strip bars in the city until she meets a mysterious man who offers her a way out.Her number one goal is for to get out of her contract and bring down those who hurt her family.
Relationships: Azriel & Cassian & Rhysand (ACoTaR), Azriel/Cassian/Morrigan (ACoTaR), Elain Archeron/Azriel, Feyre Archeron/Rhysand, Morrigan/Rhysand (ACoTaR), Nesta Archeron/Cassian
Series: Entertainer [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1623748
Comments: 13
Kudos: 55





	1. Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I’m not the best with Summaries but I guess you guys get the point...  
> I was kinda inspired by zayn’s entertainer video and I had this story on my mind for a while... 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

“Are you seriously going out like that?”  


Nesta asked while she rummaged through my makeup bag. I was wearing one of my comfiest hoodies and leggings as I finished packing my bag. 

“Why? Do I look _that_ bad?” I questioned while taking a quick peak at the mirror.

My sister merely gave me a once over and went back to her snooping.

“I left money cookie jar.” Picking up my bag I left my room and saw Elain by the living room window quietly sniffing. “It should last for a while, but I’ll send more in a few weeks.” I said over my shoulder to Nesta who followed me out the room.

“There has to be another way Fey.” Elain stepped in front of me, hoping she could change my mind for the hundredth time. “I’m sure we could figure something out, the city is so big, me and Nes could find jobs and-“ 

“You guys don’t need to worry, just focus on college and that’s it. I make more than enough to cover for all this and hopefully it will be over soon.” I said while gripping her shoulders and giving her a tentative smile. She wasn’t convinced but Nesta just plopped down on our grey couch and turned on the tv to watch one of her favorite soaps. 

“Just let her go Lainey, before one of her bosses lackey storms in here and drags her away.” Nesta was switching between channels and Elain was staring open mouthed to her. 

“Could you not Nes? It’s our fucking sister. Would it kill you to show some compassion?” Nesta merely turned and stared at me. “She’s the one who chose to be a stripper and allowed herself to be sold of to some rich boy.” As always, venom coated words.

“I wasn’t sold and you know damn well that I didn’t exactly choose this.” I let my bag drop and looked her straight in the eyes. “I don’t want to fight right now. Not when we had this discussion already. Tamlin is my sponsor and while he’s paying I don’t have to do that much shit.” 

Tension rose in the room and suddenly our three bedroom apartment felt too small. 

Located in a not so bad part of the city, we managed to get a good enough deal with the credor to buy this. Nesta and Elain chose to share a bedroom while dad and I got our own. Since I got into my _dancing_ , the hours I got home would sometimes cross the ridicule, and as Nesta had put it, she needed her beauty sleep so she and Lainey wielded the last spare room. The smallest one. But the older I got, I would spend more and more time in the other house so I rarely used it. But Nesta and Elain seemed to prefer to stay in the same room, so this was kinda my safe space. 

“I thought you had classes this morning Lainey.” Nesta said while turning once again to the tv. 

Today was clearly a bad day to us all, so Elain merely took a deep breath and pulled me into a bear hug wishing me luck and went to the bathroom to finish getting ready. 

“I know you’re angry with all this but just try a little, okay?” When she blissfully ignored me I just went to the door and left. 

*** 

As the Uber driver went on his way I stared at the mansion that was to become my permanent housing until I found a way to break the seven year contract I foolishly signed at fourteen. 

The mediterranean style house gave the illusion of a warm, safe space. But was the complete opposite. Everyone inside was literally fighting for their lives and working their way up to sponsorship or signing into better deals. 

Working here could be a blessing and a curse. Blessing in a way that you got a big paycheck that would sometimes make you forget the way you got it, a spacious room with all the commodities you cold wish for, any outfit you wanted or even dreamed of. You had everything and nothing at the same time. But it wasn’t home and it would never be.

And that’s where the curse part came in. The long nights at the ‘revels’ as we call the endless parties where you have to deal with the drunk and abusive clients, that you can’t say no to if you don’t have a sponsor. The fact that no one here is your friend and walls have ears and everything and anything will be used to screw you over...

But focusing only on the blessings, this job pays enough for me to send my sisters to college and to pay my fathers medical bills as well for the apartment.

So being here after my three week ‘vacation’ stirred some feelings and killed my dreams once again. 

But at least you could dream. 

Dream that it was home. Dream that you had some kind of influence and people came to talk to you, not to just fuck you and move on, but to actually talk you, get to know and share your interests.

Dream that you hadn’t a shitty life and weren’t screwed by lousy people and that you were living like normal people. 

So the three weeks I was away allowed me to dream. A week spent with Tamlin, dreaming that we were a normal couple and not, whatever we were. I allowed myself to love him. But until my contract is over nothing is really definitive. 

Tamlin let me have the other two weeks with my family. And for that I was thankful since I sometimes don’t see them for months on end. 

As I climbed the three steps that lead to the front door, the two guards stationed outside opened them for me and I was greeted by a familiar voice.

“Looked who finally showed up. Your room is ready princess, second level, three doors down the hall to your left.” Jurian, one of the bouncers who I got along with, caught up to me while descending the stairs. 

He was one of the closest employees to the boss and organized the girls schedules among other chores he gave him. Bouncer was just one of his many jobs that he preferred being described as. 

“Hello to you too. Is he-“ 

“No, your lovely boyfriend hasn’t arrived yet but he will be soon so I would suggest a bath first.” Jurian pinched his nose a bit and I punched his arm while trying my best not to smile. 

“How I missed your kindness.” Crossing the small lobby to go to the marble stairs leading to the second level, I could hear Hyburns voice coming from the living room. I ran up the stairs straight to my room as I heard an unfamiliar second voice.

*** 

Descending the stairs in my new turquoise silk robe, kindly left on top of my bed with a message from Jurian that I was to wear this to meet with Hyburn, I once again heard my his voice and went straight to it. 

The room was heavily guarded due to the guest sitting with his back to me, in one of the cushioned armchairs across from Hyburn. The laughter ended as I entered through the archway and moved to my bosses side. 

The man sitting there was the most beautiful one I had land my eyes on and his deep blue eyes met mine for an instance, then as always, focused on my body instead and he smiled lazily at Hyburn. 

“Like what you see?” My boss asked while placing his hand on the small of my back, moving me closer to the mysterious man. 

“What’s not to like?” 

Deep blue eyes met mine and it was when Hyburn smirked that I realized trouble was coming.


	2. Let me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some readers my be triggered reading this chapter

“What’s not to like?” Blue eyes burned into mine and I had to look away from him to a piece of artwork on the wall hoping to disguise my burning cheeks. “When can she start?” I tried and failed to hide my disgust as my boss let out a laugh, “She has other commitments.”

I sat by Hyburn’s side and examined our guest. 

Dressed in a fine black suit with perfectly tousled hair, he looked more of a model than the typical business man that usually came here to find someone to explore his fantasies. He looked gloriously bored but his eyes told me otherwise. This man was gorgeous. And the way he carried himself showed that he knew it and knew the effect he had on women. 

“How about two weeks a month?” The stranger inquired, eyes still fixed on me. I gave him a look that clearly meant go fuck yourself and before I could let it slip Hyburn answered.

“One week.” Pulling me closer to his side, I could feel his cheap cologne smell and the calloused hand he placed on my bare leg.

This whole situation already made my stomach turn and with each minute passing I just wanted to get out. Why was he so interested on me, Hyburn has a tone of girls with no sponsors. Clare Beddor, one of my few friends here, was a good example.

“Two. The amount I’ll be paying should cover for it.” I could swear that the same disgust I felt could be reflected in his eyes but it disappeared quickly.

I twisted a strand of hair between my fingers feigning disinterest and portraying as if I didn’t care that my bosses hand was still on my leg.

“If you want this one,” Hyburn cupped my face and I had to fight every instinct of mine that was telling me to slap that hand off. “You get one week. The price we discussed earlier will cover for that and only that.” 

The stranger went quiet for a moment and I could feel Hyburn’s confidence on closing the deal diminishing, until the moment the man got up with a mischievous grin on his face. 

I cursed him internally. The bastard was going to take the deal.   
  


“I’ll look forward to that week then.” 

Hyburn mimicked the guest and they shook hands. “From all the people I’ve worked with, you’ve always been my favorite Rhysand.” 

At that I had to roll my eyes. Every time he closed a deal he always said that. A creature of habits.

“Pleasure doing business with you.” And with a final once over me, Rhysand left with Hyburn to probably sign a few contracts. 

***

“But it’s not what we agreed to. I’m paying a lot of money for exclusive rights.”  


The moment Tamlin got here I was hoping I could take him to my room and fuck him before I told him the news. It would certainly calm him down, at least from experience it did.  


But we didn’t even make it to the stairs before he saw Rhysand. Apparently they knew each other cause Tam started fuming.

And when Rhysand saw me and Tamlin, his grin was terrifying. Terrifying in the way that made him even more handsome and also the predator intent behind it made me shiver and made Tamlin simmer with rage.

“What the fuck are you doing here.” 

And he would have it.

With dark blue eyes fixed on me he said, “Signing a few contracts.” 

Tamlin launched himself forward but Jurian caught him by the arm before he did something stupid.

No fighting. It was the number one rule in this house. If anyone got in a fight they were banned and had to pay extra for all the damage they caused.

“Feyre darling, I’ll be looking forward to our lovely week together.” Rhysand took my hand and placed a soft kiss in top of it. My shock prevented me from reacting, so I couldn’t slap him off. Tamlin yelled at him and my new sponsor ignored him and went down the hall towards the exit as Tamlin bursted inside Hyburn’s office and started to argue with him. As usual. 

But once Hyburn finalized a deal he would never go back.

So me and Jurian stayed outside listening to Tamlin’s yelling and Hyburn’s laughing. My boss was used to fights with Tamlin, they never ended well and I was the one who got into trouble.

“Ten bucks on how he’s going to break something.” Jurian voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I noticed he was taking the money out of his pocket. 

“Twenty on how he’s going to be thrown out before that.” I wagered and we both let out a laugh. We were sitting side by side on the lower stair step and he was bumping into me as he laughed.    
  


but my mind couldn’t ignore the fact that Tamlin was going to be very, very pissed. 

Closing my eyes in a effort not to cry, I murmured “He’s going to take it out on me,” saying it more to myself than anything.

As if saying out loud would somewhat prepare me for the storm to come.

“If he does, he’s going to find himself with a limp and a bruised face.” I opened my eyes to find Jurian lost in thought. “Among other things of course.” He turned to me and I saw that he meant it. He had been a girl whose sponsor had taken a liking to beating the shit out of her for it and she ended up dying because of it. So since then, he embarked on a crusade to protect all the girls from violent sponsors. 

“We both know that if you did you’d end up worse.” It was strictly forbidden for any of Hyburn’s men to get involved with the girls since the and to lay a hand on the sponsors as well. However, exceptions were made. But this wasn’t one of them. 

The door opened suddenly and Tamlin marched right out, furious at whatever Hyburn’s decision had been. He took me in his arms and kissed me hard. I hadto break the kiss, and as he regained composure I embraced him and ensured him that everything would be alright. 

Jurian kept rolling his eyes as Tamlin kept promising that he would fix this, that Rhysand would never lay a finger on me and many more threats that we all knew were empty. I had to bite down a smile when Jurian started to outright mock him. 

“I have to go now. But I’ll call you later, yeah?” I offered while running my hands up and down his back, knowing that the next person going inside the office was me.

He nodded and Jurian walked him out. 

I took it as my cue to enter the room that had cause so many problems, and the memories of my fourteen year old self entering the wood paneled walled room and finding it terrifying. It was made for the person invited in to feel caged in. The wood paneling made the room smaller and the steel bars on the windows finished the cage like decor.

My father had made a bad wager but I had kicked the wrong balls, and for that I ended up here.

“Feyre, close the door after you enter please.” Hyburn motioned for me to have a sit in one of the chairs in front of his mahogany desk. The decor had changed a bit over the years, but the white carpet and the enormous portrait of himself remained the same.  The new desk made the room even smaller and the bookshelves surrounding us needed dust cleaning.

He stayed silent for a few minutes and I knew better than to be the one who spoke first. Had learned what it would get me if I did.

“You’re going back to the club.” 

“What?” For a second there I did not believe what I was hearing. Since Tamlin had signed me in I wasn’t obligated to work there. 

I hadn’t work there for a year and I had considered it a blessing. But as always, blessings never lasted long here.

“Our new client is a very important man. I knew his father, his tastes. And I appointed other girls but he seems to be fixed on a certain person.” Pointing an accusatory finger at me, his eyes turned cold and I could see all the questions still unanswered. 

“And why do I have to go back to that place? I thought that after the deal with Tam I wasn’t going to work there anymore.” He had promised me. Promised all the girls that if we scored a sponsor we moved to the house and had only to deal with minor parties.

“What you think.” His voice was laced with anger, not directed towards me, but at the mess he had to deal with due to this new deal. 

“And what is done are two different things, and last time I checked I was the boss. So when I tell you that you’re going back to the club, you do as you’re told. No questions asked.”

I got up in surprisingly steady feet and did not hide the disgust in my face and bite in my voice as I talked back, “As you wish.”

***

The club music wasn’t bad. But neither was good. Depending on the clientele that entered the club the music would change. Depending on the fantasy they wanted to sell it could get better or worse.

So being back here in the dressing room, wearing a neon pink set of lingerie and a long white curly haired wig, I decided that this was the lowest I would ever hit. 

I needed to do something about this. I couldn’t let this stretch for much longer. I needed to find a way out and a quick one. 

“Don’t forget the hat dear.” One of the other girls dressed in a bright yellow, barely there, negligee that looked like it might rip at any minute, placed a sparkly pink cowboy hat on my head and I thanked her while trying to hide the wince that overthrew me every time I looked in the mirror.

My blue gray eyes had been accentuated with baby pink eyeshadow and a few rhinestones, cheeks covered in blush and highlighter and my lips... 

I hated the silver lips but hey, space cowboys. I had to look the alien part right? 

My heels started hurting the minute I put the shoes on. The clothes they gave us in the mansion were one thing, here they gave us the left overs. If it fitted you fine, if it didn’t... just make it work. 

I went to stand with the other girls waiting until Mr. Attor, the sickly looking man who ran this club, finished his jingle so that we could enter the room and put up the show. 

We were divided into three groups. The girls that were going on stage were the last to enter, the ones that would surround Mr. Attor and his cronies entered first of course,and the rest of us would see to the rest of the crowd and entered in second.

Most girls muttered their prayers before going in, but I just counted the minutes till 4 a.m., the moment I could climb into my bunk and rest. 

***

An hour had passed an I was making small talk with a few usual customers that fortunately were to shy to go any further than a few lap dances when I spotted him.

Rhysand, my new sponsor, dressed all in black with a drink in his hand, eyes searching. Sitting in a ‘private’ booth all alone...

I excused myself from the men and walked straight to him. Here I didn’t have to be polite. This wasn’t his week so I could express that came into my mind to that smug face. So I would take this time to my advantage and find out what he wanted with me.

The minute he noticed me plopping down next to him he chuckled. “Eager for our week Feyre darling?” He drank from his glass and continued to look around.

“Right back at you.” As I leaned into him, I contain myself and said, “You’re a nobody in this club.” 

He turned, gaze landing on my lips and gave me a lazy smile. “Exactly why I’m here.” He touched the silver lipstick and said, “I could ask you why, but I assume I’ll have to pay for our lovely conversation?” We both looked towards the man who ran the place, whose eyes were fixed on us. 

I smiled at Rhys and extended my hand. Pay up. He took two hundreds and placed them on my bra strap instead of my hand. _So that’s how we’re going to play._ He arched an eyebrow as I got up and straddled him. My hands were making a slow descent from his chest.

I felt him shift under me as I moved my hips to the beat of the music and proceeded to nibble his ear. His hands moved to my waist and then rested at my hips as he let out a long breath, steadying me.

“You are starting to distract me from my mission here Feyre darling.” I surpressed a chuckle as I asked in return, “And what would that be?” 

He squeezed my hips asking me to stop. As I did so I felt Mr.Attor’s presence and sat back next to Rhysand. 

“I see you’ve taken interest in one of my girls.” Me and Rhysand shared a look and before he could say anything to Attor, I said he was my new sponsor. “What about blondie?” 

“They’re both my sponsors.” Attor broke out laughing hysterically. “Man, you’re something Archeron, you really are,” Drunk. Completely drunk.

“ Jump on stage next.” He pointed backstage and as I stood I felt Rhysand’s hand on my wrist. 

“We’ll talk more once our marvelous week begins.” Scoffing, I ignored his bedroom eyes and shook him off.  Attor once again pointed to the stage and I reluctantly walked there. 

Backstage, there was only Clare there and as I went to put Rhysands money away, I noticed he had written something in a dollar bill hidden between the others.

_ Eclipse motel, room 55  _

“I know that place. It’s on exit 13”, Clare took the bill out of my hand and waved it in front of me. “Is this from that mystery guy you were with just now?” 

“Yup,” She handed me back the dollar bill and frowned. “He’s my new sponsor. Yes Tam is still my sponsor. Yes it’s a shitty situation that’s probably going to end up bad but-“ 

Before I could finish, she pulled me into a hug and promised it was all going to be ok. “At least he’s seems nice.” 

“He’s a prick. He knew Tamlin and also knew I already had a contract and insisted on being my sponsor as well.” My only friend in this place squeezed my hands in hers and as she prepared her response, one of the girls that was supposed to go on stage hurried me. So I placed the bill in one of my bag’s secret compartment and followed the other girl waving Clare goodbye. 

*** 

Rhysand’s eyes were on me the entire time I was in stage, but when I went to look for him when I was done, he was gone. Too tired to go after him and demand he broke the contract, one of the bunk beds upstairs awaited for me.

When morning came I was determined to go after him, but my phone was full with messages from Tamlin. 

_ Where are you?  _

_ We need to talk _

_ It’s important Feyre _

_ Pick up the phone  _

I purposely ignored them and after a shower and breakfast, Clare called me a cab so that I could go to the motel Rhysand had scribbled the name on the bill. 

But when I got there I spotted Rhysand talking to someone who looked very much like him but instead of blue-black hair, he had shoulder length brown hair and looked way more buff. When they were done, the new guy hopped on his motorcycle and left, while Rhysand went back to his room.

Just as I was about to follow him, Tamlin called my phone again. I didn’t want Hyburn’s men coming after me like last time, so I remained inside the cab and gave the driver Tamlin’s address instead. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was kinda busy with college stuff this past week, but I’ll try to post more soon!  
> Thanks for all the lovely comments on the first chap!  
> Love you all!!! Xoxo

**Author's Note:**

> (I promise the next chapters will be longer)


End file.
